The Fork in the Road
by tropicalgirlie
Summary: Set after the Blackout in the Blizzard but before the end of Season Six...my view of what happens when Sweets proposes an experiment for our two favorite crime fighters to help them realize their feelings for each other...are they up to the challenge?
1. Chapter 1

"Bones, how much farther is it?" Booth surveyed the scenery around him. The pine trees were thick here, the ground littered with last year's brown and dead needles. The sun was getting lower on the horizon, casting a beautiful golden glow that shattered through the spaces between trees. His partner, and best friend, Temperance Brennan, happened to be standing in one such golden patch of light at that moment, and it took his breath away.

_They had both been leery of the idea of a forced intimacy that Sweets had suggested to them, but they also agreed that their relationship could not progress such as it was…or such as it wasn't. Booth and Brennan both agreed that the limbo state that they seemed to find themselves in was not healthy for either of them. Sweets had come up with an idea of a long weekend getaway for the two of them; confident that with their strong personalities and mutual desires, that five days would be enough time, secluded and away from work, to either grow the feelings between them into something more, or to realize that it wouldn't work between them, and that it was time to move on._

_Little did Booth or Brennan know that Sweets had been concocting this idea for some time. He volunteered his foster parents' cabin in the Appalachian mountains as a vacation spot for the two of them. It was very remote, only accessible on foot. He had already contacted his parents and had food and supplies sent up there, as well as having the water and electricity turned back on. Sweets was determined that it was now or never, and since Booth and Brennan couldn't come up with a strong argument to the contrary, the following Thursday morning saw them driving in Booth's truck towards the mountains._

"We've been walking for approximately two hours now, and Sweets said that it was about a two and a half hour hike to the cabin, so I estimate that we have about another thirty minutes or so." Brennan turned around to take in her partner.

Booth wore a grey Steely Dan t-shirt, his sweatshirt long since shed and tied around his waist. Though it was only in the fifties, hiking through the dense foliage and the humidity had them both sweating. Brennan admired the way the t-shirt fit over his shoulders and chest, and the way his dark blue jeans followed the contours of his legs nicely. Brennan had never denied to herself that Booth was an incredibly attractive man, and she found that this exertion of hiking up a fairly rugged trail didn't help. If anything, a virile man, especially Booth, was even more attractive to her.

"Bones, can I have a drink of water?" He took in a deep breath and let it out, enjoying the fresh air, and the time with his partner. In fact, he was enjoying everything about this trip so far.

Brennan wore her hair in a high ponytail, much as it had been the first time they'd met for drinks at the Founding Fathers…the first time they had kissed. He had never, and would never forget that moment. It had been his intention to take her home with him and make love to her all night long. She was smart, sexy, funny in a unique way, and extremely independent…something he found to be an incredible turn on. Sure, he liked it when a woman depended on him, but he _loved_ a woman that could take care of herself.

She wore a black tank top and khaki capris with her hiking shoes. He enjoyed walking behind her to see her calves move as she climbed uphill. He had always thought her legs were one of her best attributes as far as looks went. Hell, everything about her was her best attribute.

She must have been spending more time outside lately, because her normal milky white skin had the faintest kiss of a tan in the making.

At that moment, however, her entire body was set aglow in the golden light of the setting sun.

"Booth, you have your own water." Brennan looked at the pack that he carried, seeing that the plastic bottle in the side compartment was empty. "Booth, you should conserve. What would happen if we got stranded out here? We have little food and almost no water…" She grimaced at him, that tiny little wrinkle furrowing between her eyebrows. He loved it.

"Oh, come on Bones, I was thirsty, and we're not going to get stranded out here…we're only thirty minutes away from the cabin, so what do you say you give me a drink of your water and we get a move on."

Brennan got an idea, and pulled her half full bottle of water from her own pack. "You mean, this water?" She wiggled it in front of him, and he saw in those blue eyes that she had something up her sleeve. "You can have as much of it as you want…if you can catch me." And with that she took off at a run.

Booth only hesitated a fraction of a second before setting off in pursuit. The trail was fairly steep here, and full of unearthed roots and rocks, but it almost made getting footing easier. Brennan was quick, but Booth's legs were longer, and he tried to use that to his advantage. His stride was longer than hers, and each step brought him closer.

Brennan was almost giggling to herself as she ran. She could hear his panting behind her, and it frustrated her that he was so close. She picked up her pace, using her free hand to use the tree trunks to pull herself, willing her legs to move faster. It was then that she heard him yell out. She turned around just in time to see it happen.

Booth's right foot slid under the root he was aiming for instead of landing on it, and his boot hooked underneath it as he fell. Brennan saw the frantic look in his brown eyes as he fell backwards. She dropped the bottle of water and jumped down, reaching out for him. Her fingers barely brushed his as he went down, his head hitting a large rock with a sickening crack.

She called his name several times, but it was no use. He lay motionless, unconscious on the forest floor.


	2. Chapter 2

Booth opened his eyes momentarily and felt as though he might vomit. Not only was the world upside down, but his head pounded with pain. "Bones…" but that's all he got out before the blackness overcame him once again.

"Booth?" Booth's eyelids felt as though they each weighed fifty pounds. But he heard the voice calling out to him, and he was determined to answer it.

Just the thought of opening his eyes made his head throb and his stomach roil. "Bones…" His voice was hoarse and his throat hurt, but he willed himself to answer her. He felt warmth in his left hand and registered it as her hands surrounding his. He tried to reach out for her with his right arm but a fierce pain shot up his arm and through his shoulder.

"Booth, don't move your arm." He felt movement, and then her hand came to rest of his forehead. It felt like heaven. Finally, semi-convinced that he wouldn't throw up on his partner; he tried opening his eyes again.

His head was still pounding, but it felt wonderful to be awake. The room they were in was dark. He registered it to be a bedroom. He was lying on a bed, and the only light in the room was a small lamp on the nightstand to his right. It cast the room in a faint yellow glow, but it didn't hide what he saw on Brennan's face.

"Bones, what happened to you?" He reached up to gently touch her face with his left hand. He traced a deep cut from the outer edge of her right eyebrow down her cheek. It ended just above her lower jaw bone. She had it closed up with several butterfly bandages. It was still red and raw, however, and Booth could see through his fuzzy haze a fierce purple bruise starting on her right cheekbone and right side of her forehead. The rest of the right side of her face was littered with many smaller cuts and scrapes, but other than that she looked alright.

"I fell." That was her only answer. She cringed ever so slightly when Booth gingerly touched her cheek, but didn't shy away from his concerned look.

"I'm pretty sure I'm the one that fell, Bones." He closed his eyes briefly to survey his own body. His head was throbbing, and he didn't dare reach up to feel the goose egg that must have grown at the back of his head. His right arm, he realized, was in a makeshift sling, and his right food was bound and elevated on several pillows. He glanced down and saw his toes sticking out of an ace bandage. His whole foot was swollen. "Yeah, pretty sure I did the falling."

"Booth, I'm so sorry." Her voice hitched and Booth turned his head quickly to look at her, trying desperately to ignore the pain that shot behind his eyes at the quick movement.

"Bones, why on earth are you sorry?" He watched as tears welled up in her eyes. One slipped out and he quickly brushed it away with his thumb before it slid into the cut on her cheek. "Bones, don't cry." She sniffled quickly and wiped her eyes in a very matter of fact way. She didn't want to be vulnerable in front of him. He wished he could give her a hug. "Wait, how did we get here?"

"I carried you." She pulled away from his touch and he could feel her closing herself off from him. "After you fell you were unconscious. I couldn't revive you, so after ascertaining that you weren't in serious danger, I pulled your pack off and started carrying you the rest of the way to the cabin." She wouldn't meet his eyes, and he couldn't understand why.

"Bones, I don't understand why you're apologizing to me, when it sounds like you just saved my life." He reached up and touched the bottom edge of her chin, and her eyes automatically searched out and found his.

"I dislocated your arm. I lost my footing and grabbed your right arm so you wouldn't land of your ankle again. I knew it was only sprained and I didn't want it to break. I lost my balance and fell." She sniffled. "I'm so sorry I made you chase me."

"Bones, listen to yourself," his brain was slowly clearing up, but it didn't take a sound mind to riddle this out. "You didn't make me do anything. I chose to chase you. I chose to try to be the macho guy and be faster and stronger than you, and look what happens…"

"Yes, you hurt yourself."

"No! I hurt you. I made you fall and cut yourself." He glanced at her face again, and though her face was marked, the concern behind her eyes made his whole body feel warm. "You carried me here, set my shoulder, and saved my life." He brushed the pad of his thumb gently over her bottom lip, and she shivered. "Don't you _ever_ apologize for that."

Brennan sniffled one last time, and smiling, slowly pulled away from him and stood up. "I should get some ice for your ankle." She turned towards the door, but stopped just before she exited. "Are you hungry? I have some soup cooking on the stove, and there's fresh fruit in the refrigerator." Booth grinned.

"Soup would be great, thanks Bones." She smiled once more then left the bedroom.


	3. Chapter 3

While Brennan was gone Booth took stock of his situation. His head throbbed, but he figured that there was Motrin or something in the house. His right arm was held up to his chest with his belt. His back was stiff, but a hot shower would do wonders for that. What hurt the most was his ankle, but thank goodness it was elevated. He didn't want to think about the shooting pain that he would feel when he tried to put weight on it.

His jeans were dirty and torn, and she had removed his t-shirt to set his arm. He couldn't believe that she had carried him over a mile, uphill, on uneven ground to this cabin, and then tended to his wounds; all the while he was unconscious. She was truly an amazing woman.

"Here, Booth." She came in the room and placed a bag of frozen strawberries on his ankle, and it felt amazing. He didn't realize he'd let out a groan of pleasure until he saw the look on Brennan's face. She smiled at him, then set two bowls of soup on the night stand next to his bed. "Here's some ibuprofen for the pain." She set four blue gel caps in his hand then handed him a glass of water. He tossed the pills in his mouth then took a large swig of water.

"Ah…you got anything stronger than water, Bones?" He set the glass on the night stand to his left.

"There is beer in the refrigerator, but I wouldn't recommend the combination of alcohol and ibuprofen. It's not good for your liver." She took the glass of water in hand. Booth finally got a good look at her. She wore a pale blue long sleeved thermal shirt and her same capris. Her feet were bare. She looked at home here, and absolutely adorable with her hair tucked behind her ear.

"Will it kill me?" He gave the best puppy dog look that he could, and was rewarded with a genuine Brennan smile.

"No." He pushed out his bottom lip in a pout. "Stop it, Booth. I'll be right back." He was glad to see a smile on her face.

She came back in with two beers and sat in the chair next to the bed. She handed him a bowl of soup that he was able to hold in his hurt arm. It was just chicken noodle soup out of a can, but it was warm, and it wasn't until he started eating that he realized he was cold, down to the bone.

"I don't suppose there is a shower anywhere in this place…It's cold in here." Brennan's brow furrowed. She reached out and felt Booth's forehead again.

"You have a fever Booth. I think your body is still in shock. It's sixty eight degrees in here. I turned the heat on as soon as I got you situated." She felt his cheek and he couldn't help leaning into her hand.

"Well fever or not, I'm cold." He tipped the bowl up to his mouth to drink the rest of the broth.

"The ibuprofen should help bring your fever down, but a shower is out of the question. You can't put weight on your ankle, Booth."

"Well a bath then, or something." He set the bowl down on the table and took a drink of the beer. It was Red Stripe. He'd never had it before, but the label read "Brewed in Jamaica" and it wasn't too bad.

"There is a Jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom. I could draw you a bath in there. You would have to keep your ankle elevated, but the hot water would be very beneficial for you back." Brennan took her bowl and his and left the room. Booth tried to push himself more into a sitting position with his good arm. It made his head pound, but he was glad that there was no pain in his left arm.

Down the hall he heard water start running, and the thought of sinking down into the hot water set his spine tingling. Then he realized he didn't know how in the world he was going to _get_ down the hall. He took another sip of beer, waiting for Brennan to get back.

"Booth, look what I found." She smiled as she wheeled a computer chair into the room. "I can use this to wheel you into the bathroom." She stopped the chair next to the bed. She looked very excited at her own ingenuity. "I do think that your ankle will hurt during the process, but I'll get you down there as quickly as I can." She pushed the sleeves of her thermal shirt up and Booth saw more scrapes on her arms. They had started to scab over, but he could tell that she hadn't cleaned herself up.

"Bones, you need to take care of yourself. Those cuts look painful." He gritted his teeth, wishing there was something more he could do for her, since she'd done so much for him.

"I'm fine Booth. I'll clean up at the bathroom sink while you're in the tub." Booth's heart started hammering in his chest.

"Uh, Bones. I'm a big boy. I can manage to soak in a tub all by my lonesome."

"I'm well aware that you are an adult Booth," he could tell she was trying to distance herself from her emotions over the whole ordeal. "However, I'm still afraid that you have a mild concussion, and your state of shock plus the warm water might make you fall asleep, and you have to stay conscious right now." She used her doctor tone of voice. Booth shrugged the best he could, then began to try to slide himself over to the edge of the bed. It wasn't as easy as he thought it would be. "Booth, let me help you."

She knelt down next to the bed so Booth could put his good arm over her shoulders. Booth gently pulled on her for balance to start to slide off the bed. "Booth, you can put more weight on me than that." She wrapped her right arm around his back and with as much force as she dared she pulled. He groaned lightly, but he got his strong foot on the floor and lifted himself into the computer chair.

Resting his right elbow on the arm of the chair, he tentatively pulled his sprained ankle off the bed. The blood rushed down to his foot with the speed of a bullet and it felt like a hundred knives cutting into the flesh of his ankle.

"Oh, God." He groaned, gritting his teeth as the throbbing increased to a head, then subsided just slightly. Brennan immediately began pulling him towards the bathroom.

It was just down the hall, and Brennan got him there relatively quickly, though with each step a sharp throb went through his ankle. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from making noise. He focused on the walls and floor of the cabin. The floors were all wood, some type of dark hardwood. The walls were painted a brilliant white with many family photos and decorations.

The bathroom was tiled with white granite, and the tub was a cream colored porcelain. Booth could see whirlpool jets build into the sides, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw it was big enough for two people. Images of bubbles and hot water and a naked Brennan filled his mind, and he quickly recited several saints to calm his nerves.

Brennan reached down to test the water. The tub was still filling, so she went to the cabinet. "There are several different bath salts in here Booth, if you'd like me to add some." Booth couldn't help a cocky grin.

"Oh, how romantic." She cut him a dry look. "What are my choices?" He rested his right ankle on the edge of the tub to elevate it the best he could.

"There's lavender, lilac, coconut and sweet pea."

"Oh, coconut sounds good." He watched as Brennan unscrewed the lid and poured a generous amount of the salt under the running water. It immediately started to froth and the light scent of the rich tropical fruit filled the air. "Oh, that smells amazing."

"I agree it is quite pleasant." She moved towards Booth and reached for the button on his jeans.

"Whoah, Bones. You think you can take advantage of me because I'm hurt." She looked at him blankly for a moment, then as realization set in, she grimaced.

"Booth, I doubt you want to sit in the water in your blue jeans." He glanced down at her hands, inches away from the buckle of his pants. He reached with his good hand to unbutton and unzip them. The rasp of the zipper seemed extremely loud, even over the sound of the water running. "Can you lift yourself to the edge of the tub with your left arm?" Booth eyed the situation then nodded. She turned the computer chair so the transition would he as easy as possible.

Tentatively, she reached for the waist of his jeans. "Lift your hips." With a ragged breath and an awkward movement, he lifted up enough so she could work the jeans down over his hips and to his thighs. He thanks his lucky stars that she didn't try to take his boxers off, because he wasn't one hundred percent calmed down from images of her in the bathtub with him, and that _really_ could have been embarrassing.

He felt her knuckled rub down the outside of his thighs and a shiver ran though him. She delicately pulled the right pant leg off his foot and over the ace bandage. Once the jeans were off, she helped him remove the belt that held his dislocated shoulder in place. "Try to keep your arm in that same position." He didn't know if he was imagining it, but her voice seemed strained. Could this possible be having the same effect on her that it was on him?

He had to think so, since he knew very well that she found him attractive. On some level it made him feel more comfortable in this situation.

"Do you think you can lower yourself down into the water, or do you need help?"

"Nah, I can manage." He reached up with his left hand to grab hers. She looked down as he slowly, tentatively twined their fingers together. "Thank you, Bones." With a sudden courage that came out of nowhere, he brought her hand up to his lips and whispered a kiss across her knuckles. "You're the best." She grinned, then pulled away.

"I should get a fresh bag of ice for your ankle. I'll be right back." And without another word she left the bathroom.

Brennan got out to the kitchen and pressed her forehead against the cool metal of the freezer door. The image of Booth sitting on the edge of the tub in nothing but silky black boxers had set her pulse racing. She chided herself at the thoughts that were coursing through her mind. He was vulnerable and she had to take care of him. She excelled at being clinical; she could do this.

But she couldn't ignore her growing desire for her partner. Over the last year her feelings for him seemed to grow stronger every day. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Could this be having the same effect on him that it was on her? She'd never let her emotions get the best of her before, especially when a man was involved. But this wasn't just any man. This was Booth; her partner and best friend. She knew that he had feelings for her. He'd as much as said so on several occasions, and it was he that had initiated their first _real_ kiss.

She could still remember the way his lips felt pressed passionately against hers. No one had ever kissed her with such emotion…or perhaps she had never felt such passion for any other man before. She remembered back to their conversation several weeks ago. _'Maybe someday you won't be angry anymore, and I'll be strong enough that I won't be afraid to lose the last bit of my imperviousness.' _

She trusted Booth with her life…why was it so hard to trust him with her heart?


	4. Chapter 4

She walked back into the bathroom with a bag of frozen peas and laid it gently on Booth's ankle. He had it resting on the side of the tub. It was elevated properly, but Brennan could see the start of a nasty bruise there. Booth was submerged so only the top of his chest and higher was visible. His eyes were closed, but he opened them at the feeling of the cold on his foot. "How is the water temperature, Booth?"

"It's great. This is just a little slice of heaven." She looked at him quizzically.

"It would be better if you kept your eyes open, Booth, but if you insist on closing them, then you have to talk to me." She moved over to the sink and counter top so she could start to address her own wounds.

"Alright, Bones, what do you want to talk about?" He turned his head so he could watch her.

She pulled her hair into a ponytail, and the movement seemed to strain her neck; she rubbed it momentarily, kneading it with the pads of her thumbs.

"I don't know. How's Parker?" She pulled gently on the butterfly bandages to remove them. Booth watched as she cringed as the cut opened up a bit at the loss of tension. She had three bandages on in all, and she hadn't properly cleaned the cut before attending to Booth when she got him into the cabin.

"He's great. He's really ready for school to be over. He keeps telling me how much he wants to come visit you and swim in your pool." Brennan grinned at that, pulling a piece of gauze out of her first aid kit, she doused it with peroxide and dabbed at the cut on her face, debrieting it as best she could. Booth watched her skilled hands work over her damaged skin. "He really likes you, Bones."

"I enjoy Parker's company very much." She was glad to be talking about something to take her focus away from the burning of her cuts. "I like having him come over…and you as well." She turned to look at Booth, and their eyes locked in a few seconds of silent communication.

"My apartment building just had a slide added to the deep end of the pool, so I'm sure he'll enjoy that." She took out another piece of gauze and, leaving it dry, she blotted the cut until it was clean to her satisfaction.

"Oh, he'll love it." Booth thought of his son, and how last time they had been together, Brennan had bought Parker a new set of goggles for swimming, and some pool toys to help him learn to swim under water. "You're really amazing with him, you know?" Brennan didn't answer, but he saw a smile of satisfaction creep onto her face.

He silently watched as she washed the small cuts on her arms. They weren't large, and he was glad for that. When those were cleaned and dried, she lifted up the hem of her shirt. Booth took in a gasp at the softball sized purple bruise on her right side, right on her ribcage.

"Oh, Bones…" He wished he could go to her, kiss her flesh and replace the pain with pleasure. "Is that from when you fell?" She said nothing, but nodded. "I'm so sorry." He choked on the words, and Brennan's heart swelled.

"Please don't apologize Booth. I still feel like I need to apologize to you. This whole thing is my fault."

"Bones, come here." It wasn't a harsh command, but she followed his words and came to stand at the side of the tub. He reached up with his left hand and when she took his hand he pulled her gently down to sit on the edge of the tub. "Bones, this isn't your fault. It was just an accident." He tapped a wet finger on the end of her nose. "How about neither one of us apologizes anymore, and let's just enjoy the time we have here together, okay?"

She looked into his warm brown eyes for several seconds, thoughts whizzing through her head. "That would be satisfactory, since that was the point of this trip in the first place."

"There you go, Bones." He grinned and leaned back in the water. He glanced up towards the settings and saw the button to turn on the jets. He punched it with his left thumb and immediately the whirlpool kicked on, sending the coconut scented water churning. "Oh, Bones, this is the life." He closed his eyes and groaned, one of the jets massaging the middle of his lower back, right where it was aching.

Brennan watched for a moment. Sweat had begun to bead up around his hair line, and she watched one droplet slip down his right temple, just in front of his ear and down to his jaw. She had to resist the urge to reach out and touch him. She closed her own eyes, savoring the sounds of the jets and the soothing smell of coconut in the air. The room was warm and humid and the entire experience was very relaxing.

"Bones, why don't you join me?" Her eyes shot open at his words. "I can see that you're stiff too. This tub is amazing."

Brennan hadn't realized that she'd been massaging her neck once again. Carrying an unconscious Booth for an hour over her shoulders hadn't exactly been an easy task, and her neck and shoulders were quite sore. Still, it wouldn't be easy to sit in the water with Booth. She knew he still wore his boxers, and she had on a sports bra and panties under her clothes, but the nearness of their bodies was only something she'd ever imagined. Still, the tub was adequately large enough for two people, and they were both adults. "That's acceptable."

Booths' breath caught in his throat. He hadn't really expected her to accept his offer. He watched in anticipation as she slowly grabbed the hem of her shirt, pulling it up her stomach over her head and off. He sucked in a breath at the sight of her, wearing a black sports bra and her capris.

He let his eyes sweep up and down her body, and was relieved to see that she let him. Was that the sound of her heart thumping, or his own? He didn't know, but he was speechless at her beauty. She wouldn't meet his eyes, and he saw her cheeks get pink. "Booth, would you close your eyes please?" She glanced at him quickly, and he had a questioning look on his face. "Please." Booth complied.

"Bones, you're absolutely beautiful. You shouldn't be embarrassed by that." He spoke the words as gently as he could and with as much honesty as he could put into his voice. He wanted her to believe him.

He heard the sound of the fabric of her capris sliding against her skin and a soft click and some metal rivet on them hit the tile floor. He felt the water slosh gently as she lowered herself in the tub. He opened one eye, and then the other to see her safely in the water, facing him on the opposite end of the Jacuzzi. She let out a sigh as she leaned back into the warmth.

"Pretty nice, huh Bones?" Booth reached out of the tub with his left arm to grab his beer, which he took a generous swig of.

"It is very soothing, and I agree with your choice of fragrance." He watched as the humidity in the room made the wispy hair around her cheeks curl up. Her cheeks were pink from the heat, and her eyes bright, lacking the sadness they held earlier. He'd never seen her more beautiful.

"I meant what I said, Bones." His eyes caught hers and locked with them. She furrowed her brow.

"About the water being relaxing? Yes, I know that Booth." She tipped her head to the side quizzically.

"No, about you being beautiful." Her cheeks flushed further, and she looked away. He leaned forward as best he could, to get her attention. "Temperance." The sound of her given name on his lips forced her to look at him once again. His eyes grabbed hers, and he leaned as close to her as his sprained ankle would allow. He reached out gently and held her chin gently between his thumb and first finger. You. Are. Beautiful." He said each word with careful emphasis so she'd understand.

The left side of her mouth turned up in a small, shy smile, but her eyes never left his. "Thank you, Booth." They stayed silent for a moment, and Booth gently ran his thumb back and forth across the edge of her chin. "Your proportions are quite pleasant as well." Booth chuckled, settling back into the tub.

"Thanks, Bones. You know how to make a guy feel special." He said it mockingly, but he knew that coming from her, it was quite a compliment. He took another sip of his beer, the held it out to Brennan. She took it from him and took a sip. Wrinkling her nose, she handed it back.

"It's warm." She gave him a goofy grin. "It's a shame we don't have your beer helmet here tonight." She grinned, lowering herself a bit more in the water so her neck was mostly submerged.

Booth remembered back to that day in his apartment when she burst in on him when he was taking a bath. That had been a very different scenario, but he'd wanted her just as much then as he did now. Perhaps this weekend, he would finally have the courage to act on his feelings. "Yeah, too bad."

She moved around a bit more in the tub and jumped when she felt Booth's hand clamp around her left foot. "It's okay, Bones. Your feet must be sore." He began massaging the ball of her foot the best he could with one hand. His fingers were quite dexterous, and she was soon relaxing into his ministration.

She slowly started making moaning noises, and he couldn't help the tightening in his groin. "Please apply more pressure to the distal end of the metatarsals." He had to wrack his brain, and paused only slightly before pressing his thumb harder into her foot, just before her toes. "Oh, yes. Thank you." The statement came out in one breathy groan, and Booth had to focus to keep his attention away from his growing erection. He pulled gently on each toe, stretching them, then ran his fingers back down the sole of her foot to her heel. Her eyes were closed and her head was tipped to one side. He had no idea she could glean such satisfaction from such a non-intimate touch.

But for them it _was_ intimate. Everything about their shared time together, whether on a case or not, was intimate. He smiled at the thought. Though their physical love had not yet been expressed or shared with the other, in a way, they had been lovers for a long time. Whenever something wonderful happened to him, whether professional or personal, she was the first person he wanted to share it with. Whenever Brennan was hurting or sad, and withdrew from everyone around her, she always knew and quite often did, lean on Booth. Maybe this weekend wouldn't be so hard after all. "Oh, God Booth that feels incredible." Then again, maybe it would.

"Here, Bones, let me have your other foot." She shifted slightly in the tub so he could reach her right foot and her heel came down on his lap momentarily…right on his erection. Booth sucked in a breath and Brennan's eyes went wide. She quickly pulled both feet away and tucked her knees up under her chin, wrapping her arms around them. He could feel his own heart racing.

"I'm sorry, Booth, I…" she looked away again.

"Bones, no more apologizing, remember." He leaned forward again wrapped his left hand over both of hers. "There is nothing to be sorry about…_trust _me." She chanced a look at him, and he saw that her eyes were dark with desire as well. Just because she wouldn't openly speak her feelings didn't mean he couldn't read them. "You obviously have an effect on me, which you should have already realized before now." He gave a slightly embarrassed chuckle. "You're very attractive to me; physically, mentally, emotionally, you name it."

"Name what?" Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper.

"It's an expression, Bones." He gave her hands a squeeze and accompanied it with a smile. "I just can't help the way I feel about you, but I hope it doesn't make you uncomfortable." He was careful to not apologize for his feelings, since he didn't feel like he should.

She paused for a moment, then slowly relaxed back down into the tub, setting her right foot in his hand. He began rubbing it gently, but not with the vigor he did the other one. "It doesn't make me uncomfortable…I'm not used to the connection I have with you Booth." Her brow furrowed as she tried to find the right words. "Remember when we talked about our compatibility when it comes to a physical relationship?" He nodded so she continued. "But how we said that as a couple we could never work?" He nodded again. She hesitated for a second before speaking again, and Booth could tell that what she was about to say would cost her a great deal. "I feel like that is less and less accurate every day." Her worried blue eyes sought his, desperate for acceptance, and she was rewarded with a full on smile.

"Me too, Bones." He began massaging her right foot a big harder, and was rewarded with another smile. Her eyes were still full of desire, but he knew that anything beyond this now would be too much.

They made idle chitchat while Booth continued his ministrations. He went back to her left foot, then to her right once again. He was amazed that the more he touched her, the less turned on he became. Sure, the feelings were right at the surface and could rear up at any second, but he felt more and more comfortable with her proximity. She seemed to be feeling the same.

Brennan reached up and felt the bag of peas that rested on Booth's ankle. It wasn't cold anymore. It wasn't even cool. "Booth, we should get you out of here and I can get you fresh ice." She felt his ankle deftly with her skilled hands, and Booth watched as she gauged his injury and she finally pursed her lips. "I don't think the sprain is as bad as I originally thought. She swelling is already going down." She turned back to Booth and he grinned.

"Good. Maybe the whole weekend won't be a waste then." She didn't want him to get his hopes up. She doubted he would be walking within a day or two.

She then realized that she'd have to get out of the water now, and she wasn't sure if she wanted him to see her so exposed…but maybe it would be okay. She knew he cared for her, and she knew she cared for him, but how far was she willing to go tonight? This whole situation was different from any other she'd ever been in. Still, she knew she could trust him. "Let me go get changed and get some more ice, then I'll come back in and get you, okay?"

Booth nodded and Brennan took a deep breath and stood up. Booth watched as the soapy bubbles slid down her arms, her stomach, over her thighs and down her calves. His eyes traveled down to her stomach to where the bruise on her ribcage had grown a fierce reddish purple. His brow furrowed, but all thoughts left his as she turned to step out of the tub. He had noticed when she stood up that her black panties matched her sports bra, but when she turned around, he saw it was a thong. He watched her lean muscled in her legs and hips slide under her soapy skin as she stepped across the floor to the linen closet to get a towel. "Bones." She turned as she wrapped a fluffy greed towel around herself. She waited for him to speak. "You're beautiful." She smiled, and quietly slinked out of the bathroom.


	5. Chapter 5

Fifteen minutes and quite a struggle later, Brennan had Booth back in the master bedroom. She helped him put a pair of gym shorts on (he had managed to change his own boxers) and she wore a plain, pale gray t-shirt and boxer shorts for pajamas. Her ribs were getting quite sore, but she didn't make a big deal about it. Instead she got a fresh ice pack for him (frozen corn this time) and some for herself.

She sat Indian style on the bed next to Booth, dealing out a deck of cards. Booth wanted to teach her how to play poker. "Isn't this something you shouldn't be doing, Booth? I mean, you're recovering." Booth grinned as he picked up his five cards in his good hand.

"This isn't gambling, Bones, and since you won't let me go to sleep yet," he glanced at the clock and saw that it was close to midnight, "we might as well have some fun." She picked up her cards and looked at them. "Ok, now what you want to do is keep your best cards, and toss the junk. Pairs are okay, but three of a kind or four of a kind is better. All of one suite is good, a straight or a full house are good too." Brennan nodded, looking at her cards.

Booth did the best he could with one hand, and tossed away two cards. Brennan took three. She won the first hand with three kings, to Booth's two aces. She grinned to herself, collecting the cards and shuffling them again and dealing them out.

Thirty minutes and twenty or so hands later, Booth had only won two of them. Brennan had quite a grin on her face as she shuffled the cards together. She started to deal them out again, but Booth stopped her. "I'm tired of playing cards. You're gonna keep beating me anyways." Brennan collected the deck of cards and put it on the night stand.

"It's just beginner's luck, Booth." She watched him for a moment. "Are you mad that I'm better at poker than you are?"

"No." His lip pouted out. "Maybe a little."

Brennan grinned, but it was cut off by a yawn. She glanced at the clock to see that it was honing in on one am. It had been quite a long day; between the drive into the mountains, the hike up here and all of her worrying and working with Booth. Her yawn traveled over to her partner and he covered his own mouth as he yawned. "Bones, can I go to sleep yet? I don't think I have a concussion anymore." Brennan smiled to herself. He sounded like a child.

"Yes, I am confident that it would be alright. I'm quite tired myself." She got up. "I will let you get some sleep." She walked towards the door.

"Bones, what are you talking about? Where are you going?" His heart sped up. He was sort of looking forward to sleeping next to her. Then he realized that hadn't talked about this. He supposed they should have, but he kind of figured it was implied since they were exploring their relationship this weekend.

She stopped in the doorway. "I was going to make up the couch in the living room. I don't want to disturb you." Her heart fluttered. She didn't want to admit to herself at how much she was looking forward to falling asleep next to Booth, feeling his strong body next to hers. He was hurt however, and his needs were more important than hers.

"I'd like you to sleep in here, if you're comfortable with that." He patted the left side of the bed next to him. "And what if I need something during the night…I'm injured remember?" He grinned sheepishly at her, and though she rolled her eyes, she couldn't help but return it.

His hair was free of gel and stuck up messily this way and that. The pink in his cheeks from the heat of the bath lingered, and his tanned chest in the dim light of the bedroom was almost her undoing. She caught his eyes. The warmth and love that came from those warm brown eyes was what did it. She took a step towards him.

"I'm well aware of your injuries, Booth." Her tone was flat, but she approached the side of the bed. "This makes me nervous. I'm not comfortable with the feelings I have for you." She pushed the blankets aside and sat down. Booth reached out and took her hand. He was pleasantly surprised when she squeezed it gently.

"Are you not comfortable because you don't like what you're feeling?" Brennan's eyes darted to his, realizing her faux pas.

"No! Not at all. I'm sorry. I'm not comfortable because I've never felt this way before. It's unexpected and a bit disconcerting." She leaned back against the pillows, still not letting go of his hand.

Booth was silent for a moment. Her hand was warm in his, and it felt so right…he wished he could will his confidence in them into her; make her feel what he felt. "Well would it make you feel better if I told you that I've never felt this way before either?" She turned to look at him, and was humbled and warmed by the truth she saw in his brown eyes.

"How can that be, Booth? You've been in several extremely committed relationships, and have proposed twice. I find it hard to believe that this is new to you." Her eyes were filled with curiosity and a need for understanding.

Gently Booth reached up to cup her cheek in his left hand. Tentatively he brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, and was rewarded with another shiver. It emboldened him to continue. "Temperance, I've felt love before. Love that is so damn strong it takes your breath away. I've also felt loss before. But," he let his fingers tangle in the hair at the back of her neck, "nothing I've felt even comes remotely close for the feelings I have for you." Her eyes grew wide and she leaned into his touch. "Everything I feel for you and with you and when I'm around you is so much stronger than anything I've felt before." He inched closer to her as best he could with one good leg. "It's exhilarating and terrifying at the same time." He applied slight pressure to her neck, pulling her closer. "I just wanted you to know that whatever you're feeling, I think we're feeling the same thing."

He watched as tears welled up into her eyes and one spilled out, sliding slowly down her left cheek and down to her chin. He watched as her lips turned up into a smile as she leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. Closing his eyes, he accepted her warmth and the feeling of her breath playing across his lips. "Thank you, Booth."

They sat still for a moment, enveloped in the cocoon of the bed and the warmth of each other. Finally Brennan spoke. "Booth, I have a confession." His body tensed momentarily, but he pulled back to see her face. His silence indicated he was ready to hear what she had to say.

"I already knew how to play poker. I learned at school when I was conducting my undergraduate work. Much of the money I won I put towards tuition. I was really quite good." Booth felt his insides start laughing before a sound came out of his mouth. He began chuckling and Brennan couldn't help but laugh along with her partner.

"Bones, I have a confession as well." His classic mischievous grin slid onto his face and Brennan cocked her head to the side, confused at what his confession could be. "When you asked me to close my eyes in the bathroom…I peeked." Brennan gave him a playful shove in his good arm but couldn't help her own smile as it played on her lips. "You are so beautiful, Temperance, I couldn't help it." His eyes sought acceptance and before she knew what she was doing, her body leaned towards his.

Her lips came down on his gently, and Booth only hesitated for a moment before responding. Her bottom lip slid perfectly between his and as gently as he could he applied pressure. The feeling was exquisite and he couldn't help the soft moan that emanated from his throat.

His fingers tangled in her hair as he pulled her closer. She moaned, leaning into his touch, her hand came to his bare chest to hold herself up. She'd kissed Booth before, but it had never been like this.

So many years ago, their kisses had been full of lust, and the promise of extraordinary sex.

Later when she kissed him under the mistletoe, it was wonderful, but somehow off kilter.

Last year when he'd proclaimed his love for her and kissed her, it had been a desperate act; Booth willing his feelings into her. She hadn't been ready, and the kiss, more than anything else, had broken her heart.

Now, however, with their feelings lined up, their kisses were fuller, warmer and loving. Absolute. Loving.

Loving…Brennan was loving Booth. She's never felt such completeness before.

"Booth…" She moved to lay on the bed next to him, and he used his good arm to pull her to him.

"I know…" He cradled her tenderly and she lay her head gently on his chest. He kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams Bones."


	6. Chapter 6

Booth woke up to a throbbing in his right ankle, and was disoriented. Sunlight streamed through the large window off to his right. The curtains were drawn, but the light that shone through the sheer fabric was making the room warm and cozy. He felt an odd weight on his chest and curiously opened his eyes.

Soft brown hair tickled his nose and he glanced down to see his partner, sleeping soundly curled up next to him. The events of last night came flooding back, and he couldn't help the grin the spread across his face. He felt like his whole body was smiling.

His left arm was wrapped around her back, cradling her body to his. He couldn't believe how comfortable and right it felt. His chest ached at the rightness of it. Leaning down as best he could, he whispered a kiss on her forehead, just at her hair line. The quiet sigh that escaped her lips caught him by surprise. In that moment he realized that this was the start of something amazing, and they both felt it. Even in her sleep she felt it. His feelings for her in that moment increased exponentially and the protectiveness he felt for her made all other feelings subside.

He had never known love until this moment.

Brennan felt his lips brush across her forehead, but she didn't want to give up this sensation quite yet. The warmth radiating off of his body and into her was incredibly soothing. She'd never been held like this before. His strong arm around her made her feel safer than she ever had in her life. She smiled into the side of his chest, reveling in the feeling of being cherished the way she was.

She'd been with plenty of men, and at the time, several of them had felt like serious relationships…especially Sully. She'd considered leaving the Jeffersonian and her friends behind to be with him. She'd thought that's what love was. But now, in the comfort and safety of Booth's arms, she realized how wrong that was.

She had never known love until this moment.

Finally Booth's bladder got the best of him. He didn't want to disturb Brennan, but each second made it more and more uncomfortable to lay still. "Hey, Bones, I gotta get up." He whispered into her hair as gently as he could.

Brennan, having already been awake, lifted her head sleepily and stretched her left arm out. Meeting his brown eyes, she grinned. "Good morning, Booth." She slid off the bed and pulled the computer chair around to his side of the bed. She stopped when she realized he was staring at her. "What is it, Booth?" She pushed her hair out of her face, thinking maybe something was in it.

"You're just…you look really great in the morning." He couldn't keep his eyes off her face.

"You've seen me in the morning lots of times before, Booth." She held the chair while he slid himself over into it. He even was able to use his right arm too.

"Yeah, after you've showered and put on make-up. I've never seen you wake up, in bed with me before. He reached up and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "You're beautiful, Bones." She grinned down at him, and feeling bolder than ever, leaned down to brush her lips against his.

Her senses were inundated with him. She was surrounded by him; from the musky smell of his freshly rested skin and a lingering smell of coconut from their shared bath together. She shivered at the thought. She would definitely want to repeat that while they were here.

His lips played over hers, still experimenting with this new intimacy. Six years of foreplay was a lot, but finally getting here, being able to kiss Brennan without an ulterior motive was so new that it took him by surprise. He drew his finger along her jaw line, finally grabbing hold of her chin gently with his thumb and two fingers. She tried to deepen the kiss, but he pulled back. "I'll be right back." She grinned as he began to wheel himself out of the room and towards the bathroom.

Once she was alone in the room, she took stock of the situation. She'd just spent the night with Booth, and they hadn't had sex. She was surprised that she wasn't upset by that. Though their true feelings were out in the somewhat open now, she was nervous about how to proceed.

In any other relationship, she would have had sex with her partner long before now. However, Booth wasn't like any man she'd ever been with before, so she was treading in uncharted waters…and it was kind of exciting.

She busied herself making the bed while Booth was gone, and took a moment to smell the pillow that he had used. It smelled wonderful, like Booth and coconut and sweat and warmth.

She heard water running in the bathroom, so she figured Booth was doing okay without her help, and she was glad. She didn't want him to be laid up for the whole of their time here. After the room was in order, she decided to go ahead and get dressed. Pulling her suitcase out from under the bed, she opened it up and perused her clothing choices. She settled on a simple pink tank top and blue jeans. She was just putting on a silver beaded necklace when Booth rolled himself back into the room. "Hey, Bones, you got any more ibuprofen?" She nodded, going to the night stand where she had left the bottle from the night before.

"Let me get you some water. She moved past him and went into the kitchen, filling a coffee mug with water and bringing it back to Booth. He took it with a smile and downed the pills she gave him.

"Thanks, Bones." She smiled, setting the pill bottle back on the night stand.

"You're welcome. How is your arm feeling?" He hadn't slept with it in a sling, but he still held it close to his body. He slowly lowered it to his lap. Then he extended it out slowly, bending at the elbow and rotating it slowly. She watched his face for signs of pain, but saw none.

"It's alright. Hurt a little when I tried to lift myself with it."

"Oh, you shouldn't do that, Booth. Use it in a limited capacity until it's fully healed." She took his arm, moving it, testing its range of motion.

"Duly noted, thanks Bones." He reached up with his left hand and surprised her by gently pulling her mouth down to his. Her lips met his eagerly this time, and he smelled of toothpaste and hand soap. A thrill went through her spine when his tongue traced along her bottom lip. She eagerly opened her mouth and let him explore her. He moaned aloud when her tongue slid along his and into his mouth, running along his teeth. His left hand slid down her neck and back and pulled her forward until she was forced to sit on his lap, one leg on each side of his hips.

She immediately felt the bulge in his shorts and it was her turn to moan. "Booth…" but her captured her lips again, swallowing the throaty sounds that she made. Her hands went behind him to tangle in his hair. Unable to help it, she rocked forward, pressing her heat against him and she felt him shudder.

"God, Bones." He groaned as he finally pulled back to look at her. Her cheeks were pink, and her eyes dark with desire. She smiled in earnest. He leaned up and kissed the tip of her nose. "You're going to be the death of me."

She knew what he meant. Smiling wider, she slid off of him. "How about some breakfast, Booth?" She moved behind him to wheel him out into the kitchen, but as soon as she got next to him, he grabbed her wrist and jerked her down so they were face to face.

"You think you're so cute, Bones…wait until tonight." This time it was her turn to shudder. He let her go and grinned. "Breakfast sounds great."


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the super long hiatus from this story. I had it sitting on the back burner for so long that the chapter I was working on next got a little too scorched, so I decided to get a fresh start on it.**

**Thank you so much for your nice reviews and 'ehem' nudges to get me to continue this story. I'm on vacation this week, so hopefully I can get it finished. =)**

The majority of their Friday was spent lazing about the cabin. After a hearty breakfast of pancakes and bacon (for Booth, fruit salad for Brennan), they decided to relax and spend the day indoors until Booth was feeling better.

Sweet's family had quite an extensive movie collection, and since Brennan didn't recognize any of the titles, Booth decided that this would be a great opportunity to educate Brennan on not only the ways of the force, but the dangerous journey through Middle Earth as well.

It was early afternoon when Brennan got up off the couch to put in 'The Lord of the Rings; The Two Towers.' Pressing play on the DVD player, Brennan made her way back to where Booth sat on the couch, and assumed the position that she had just been in.

Booth was sitting on the right side of the couch with his right arm propped up on the cushy arm, and his foot propped on the coffee table. Brennan lay down on the couch on her back, with her head lying gently on Booth's left thigh. She wasn't sure at what point during 'The Fellowship of the Ring' that she had come to be using Booth for a pillow, but he didn't complain, and it was quite comfortable.

Having seen these movies several times before, Booth paid little attention to the hobbits, and more to the beautiful woman lying next to him. Her brown hair lay in soft waves around her face, and splayed out on his lap. The pink of her tank top brought out the rosy glow in her cheeks, and emphasized the pink in her lips. He watched her facial expressions change as she listened to the dialogue of the movie. Her blue eyes darted back and forth to the different characters on the screen.

Her head was turned to watch the movie, and Booth took a moment to watch her pulse beat steadily under the porcelain skin of her neck. Before he realized it, his hand went down to stroke the skin there. He was rewarded and emboldened by the sigh that escaped her lips, and her eyes falling shut momentarily.

He brushed over the strap of her tank top and began feather light stroked down her arm. She squirmed ever so slightly, but did her best to ignore his touch and watch the movie. What she didn't realize is that when she moved, a sliver of the skin of her stomach had become exposed between the bottom of her tank top and her blue jeans. Feeling his heart rate pick up ever so slightly, Booth slid his fingers down her arm and across her stomach. Booth was rewarded by another soft moan, and the sight of her bare toes curling at his touch.

He continued his ministrations until she became used to his touch. He glanced up at the movie and then down at Brennan's face to see that she was still watching it, or at least trying to. As slowly as possible, he started to run his finger tips just under the waist of her blue jeans. He slid his fingers down until he met the fabric of her panties. He grazed her sensitive skin there gently, whispering the pads of his fingers across her skin. He thought her heard her take a quiet but sharp breath in, but she kept her focus on the movie. Deciding to see how good she was at keeping concentration, he slowly reached up, pushing his thumb against the button of her jeans until they slid open. The movement was subtle, and he didn't think that Brennan noticed.

He continued his ministrations with the tips of his fingers, slowly grazing lower and lower. He reached the hem of her panties again, and this time pressed on ever so gently, lower and lower. It was his turn to take a sharp breath when his fingers met the soft thatch of curls. He felt Brennan tense momentarily, but then relax to his touch. She let out a sigh, but continued to watch the TV screen.

He let his fingers whisper across her skin, down both sides of her lips, but not yet touching where he knew he wanted to. He glanced down and saw that her eyes were shut. She began making soft little moaning noises with each exhale, and it almost had Booth undone. He was getting more and more turned on, but he wanted this to be for her. Finally he couldn't wait anymore, and he gently slid two fingers down over her bundle of nerves.

Booth knew instantly that the sound that she made would be remembered forever. She moaned and arched her hips gently, and Booth came undone. He slid his fingers in a swirling motion, and her hips began gyrating in a counter motion that took his breath away.

She kept her eyes shut, and her right hand began to clench the fabric of the couch, her left hand squeezed his arm, urging him on. He could smell her arousal, and he grew incredibly hard.

She was mewling now, and Booth slid his hand down farther, sliding two fingers inside her, and used this thumb to continue swirling around her pleasure point. She dropped her right foot on the floor to use as leverage, thrusting up gently as Booth's fingers moved. He focused all his energy on her pleasure, feeling her grow increasingly aroused as his speed increased.

All of a sudden her left hand clenched his arm and her hips shot up; Booth could feel her inner muscles clench around his fingers. She let out a long moan of pleasure and her chin came down to rest on her chest as the waves of her pleasure rippled through her.

Booth had never seen anything so beautiful.

After several moments her grip on his arm slowly relaxed and he could feel the rest of her muscles slowly unclench. He had removed his fingers, but continued gentle movement on her nerve center. Occasionally an aftershock would hit her and her body would twitch. Booth was still rock hard, but he let her ride out the rest of her pleasure.

After another moment he gently removed his hand and redid the button on her pants. She gently sat up, turning to face Booth with flushed cheeks and a sated smile. She kissed him tenderly, then leaned back to see his expression. His smile matched hers.

She got up, turned the television off, and wheeled the computer chair up to the couch. With a mischievous grin, she patted the chair and helped Booth slide over onto it. Then with the speed of a woman wanting more, she wheeled him to the bedroom.

**To be continued…soon, I promise!**

**Thanks for the reviews again, and for making me finish this. I think I know how it's going to end…one or two more chapters =)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for the hits on the last chapter. I'm enjoying this story, and enjoying having time to write it. I hope you're enjoying it as well. Please let me know! Not sure how long this chapter will be…I guess we'll see when it's done LOL**

**Please R&R, and thanks!**

Booth woke up to an odd sensation. He was fairly aware of movement under the covers, but the grogginess of sleep had him quite confused. He felt a mild pain in his right ankle, but was happy to notice that it was not throbbing nearly as much as yesterday. He stretched his arms, his eyes still shut, and reached to his left where he knew Brennan had curled up next to him. He was curious then, when he felt nothing but cool sheets next to him. Opening his eyes to look for her, he immediately realized the odd sensation he had woken up to.

Brennan was huddled under the covers whispering kisses across his bare stomach. He could feel her breasts gently brushing against his thighs as she worked her way down. Her fingertips glided along his sides, eliciting goose bumps and a moan from Booth. He heard her muffled chuckle under the blankets as she slowly worked her way lower.

He felt her hot breath on his quickly growing erection as she places feather soft kisses across the tops of his thighs. Booth's left hand worked its way under the blankets to cradle her head, weaving his fingers into her long hair.

Then her movements stopped, and Booth was just about to lift up the blankets when he felt the very tip of her tongue run down the length of him. "Oh, God, Bones." He exhaled sharply, his eyes rolling back at the pleasure of her touch.

He heard her chuckle again, and this time he felt her placing open mouthed kisses along his heat. He groaned, gripping her hair a bit tighter. She moaned as well, and at first he thought it was out of pain, but just as his grip tightened, she slipped her lips over his tip, sliding her mouth down to envelope him.

He moaned, feeling his entire length slide into the heat of her mouth, her tongue cradling the bottom of his erection. Booth's free hand clenched at the blankets, his whole body tensing as she began slow movements up and down.

"Oh, God, Bones, that's amazing." His voice was breathy, and even under the blankets Brennan could tell that he was enjoying himself immensely.

With him completely in her mouth, she drew tiny figure eights with the tip of her tongue on the bottom of his shaft. She was pleased at the twitches of pleasure that pulled his muscles tight. His breathing was coming in short ragged gasps, and Brennan knew he was close.

"Bones, I want to see you." He barely got the words out. Without stopping her ministrations, Brennan used her leverage to pull the blankets down her body. "Oooooooooh, God."

Booth was graced with the most amazingly erotic view. Her rosy lips slid up and down his rock hard length, her cheeks puckering in slightly as she created a tiny bit of suction. Pulling her hair away from her face, he could see that her cheeks were flushed, and as his brown eyes traveled down her body to her naked breasts moving along with the rest of her, he couldn't hold out any longer.

She rode out his waves of pleasure with him, holding his hips as they bucked off the bed. He let out a guttural moan as the final surge of his orgasm passed through him. Finally spent, he lay down on the bed, his muscles feeling as though they'd turned to jelly.

Brennan slid, catlike, up his body, coming to lie next to him. He pulled her close, kissing the top of her head, reveling in the warmth radiating off of her.

"Bones, that was incredible." He let out a huge gush of air and a chuckle at the same time. "I wouldn't mind waking up like that every now and again." She leaned her head back to look at him. She gave him a self satisfied grin that he couldn't help but return with another chuckle, this one more of a barking laugh. "Oh, you think you're so slick, huh?" He gave her a squeeze and another kiss, this time on the lips. "You just wait, Bones. I'll get you back."

"I look forward to it, Booth." With that she got up, pulled on one of his t-shirts and a pair of boxers and headed for the kitchen to get some breakfast.

After breakfast in bed and a long luxurious bubble bath sans sports bra and boxer shorts, Booth decided he wanted to try to take a walk. His ankle was hurting less and less, and despite Brennan's argument, Booth decided that he would try it, with her help.

Brennan cleverly took an axe outside, cutting several pieces of wood to fashion Booth a makeshift crutch. It was a bit too short, but between that and leaning on her, they were able to get outside and up a small hill to where Sweet's parents had a hammock tied between two large oak trees.

After a very ungraceful fall into the woven ropes, Booth let out a sigh, closing his eyes as the sun warmed his skin. Brennan lay down next to him. They lay across the short end, and Brennan used her feet to gently rock them back and forth. She closed her eyes as well, reveling in the warmth from the sun and the warm body next to her.

"I really like this, Booth."

"I know, this hammock is great." Booth stretched his arm out so Brennan could use it as a pillow.

"No, I mean this…us." Her words were hesitant, and Booth didn't want her to continue to be nervous about her feelings.

"Oh." He took a breath and pulled her closer. "I agree." He reached over and brushed a wisp of hair out of her face. "This weekend has meant so much to me, Bones." He felt her snuggle closer to him, and it made his whole body feel warm.

"I feel like we're finally getting our chance." Brennan leaned up, looking down at her partner, her friend, her lover, and smiled.

"We are." He smiled back.


End file.
